Παρασκευή, 1 Νοεμβρίου 2013

The Love of Poverty (Saint Gregory the Theologian)

Reliquary with relics of St. Gregory the Theologian, Nea Karvali, Kavala-GreecePrologue

Saint
Gregory is not only a great father and teacher of the Church, but also
her most eminent theologian after the apostle and evangelist John. Born
between 326 and 329 in Arianzus, near Nazianzus of Cappadocia, of
well-to-do parents, he obtained a great classical and theological
education. Together with his fellow student and friend Saint Basil the
Great, archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia, and Saint Gregory, bishop
of Nyssa, he belongs to the “great Cappadocians”. From his father,
Gregory also, bishop of Nazianzus, he was ordained presbyter and from
Saint Basil bishop of Sasima. In any case, since he was a monastic
nature, he dedicated the greater portion of his life to isolation and
ascesis.

In 379 he was called to
Constantinople, to deal with the heresy of Arianism. With the small
church of the Resurrection as a centre, he catechized, taught, gave his
famous homilies about the godhead of the Son, which secured him the
characterization of Theologian, and he rejuvenated Orthodoxy, despite
the fact that he faced the violent reaction of the Arians. Since he
served Archbishop of Constantinople for a small time period (November
380-June 381), he resigned from the throne and he retired to his
birthplace, where he dealt with the writing and the fighting of the
heretical Apollinarists up to his repose in 390.

As
an author Saint Gregory is characterized by theological depth, intense
poetry, oratorical skill and deep knowledge of the Attic speech. His
texts, as many as were preserved, are distinguished in epistles (246),
theological and historical epics (at least 396) and homilies (43). His
homilies comprise his highest creations, both from a theological and
also from a literary viewpoint, are divided in dogmatic, apologetic,
festive, encomiastic-funerary and moralistic-social ones. One of the
last is also the homily “Concerning love of poverty”, an anthology of
which follows in a free Modern Greek rendering.

In
this speech, which was given very likely in Caesarea around 370, the
sacred author, with unparalleled oratorical power, diverse expressive
schemes, fine linguistic colorings and vivid images, manages to
captivate the reader, to inspire compassion and philanthropy in him, to
convince him of the necessity of social supportiveness.

Love of poverty

It
is not at all easy for one to find the highest of all the virtues and
to give it the first place and reward, as precisely it is not easy for
one to find in a fully blossoming and fragrant field the most beautiful
and fragrant flower, as sometimes the one and sometimes the other draws
his attention and causes him to cut the first. So thus, I think that
good virtues are faith, hope and love. And witnesses of faith are
Abraham, who was justified by his faith. Witnesses of hope are Enoch who
first supported his hope in the invocation of the Lord, and all the
righteous ones, who suffer hardships in the hope of salvation. Witnesses
of love, finally, are the Apostle Paul, who reached the point of
praying for his own perdition for the sake of his brother Israelites,
and God himself, who is named love (1 Jn. 4:8).

Hospitality
is good. And witnesses of this are of the righteous Lot, the Sodomite
in residence but not a Sodomite in conduct, and of the sinners Rahab,
the prostitute in body not prostitute in disposition, who was praised
and saved by hospitality (Joshua of Nun 2:1-21).

Longsuffering
is good. And witnesses of this are Christ himself, who did not want to
use the legions of His angels against His torturers and not only scolded
Peter, when he drew his sword, but also the ear, which he had cut, He
placed again in its place. Stephen, the disciple of Christ did the same
thing later on, who was praying for those who were stoning him.

Meekness
is good. And witnesses of this are Moses and David, who above all as
meek were witnessed by the Scripture, as also their Teacher, the God-man
(Theanthropos) Jesus, who neither argued nor cried out nor shouted in
the squares nor resisted those who had captured Him.

Prayer and vigil are good. And a witness of this is the Lord, who before His passion kept vigil and prayed.

Good
are purity and virginity. And witnesses of this are both Paul, who
instituted them, rewarding justly both marriage and celibacy, as well as
Jesus himself, who was born of a Virgin, to honor birth but to prefer
virginity.

Good is humble-mindedness.
And witnesses of this are many, with the main one again being the
Saviour and Lord of all, who was humbled, not only taking on the form of
a servant, handing over His face to shame and to the spitting and
numbering Himself with the transgressors. He, who cleanses the world of
sin, but also washes the feet of His disciples like a servant. Good is
non possessiveness and the scorn of money. And witnesses of this are
both Zacchaeus, who, as soon as Christ entered his home, distributed
almost all his belongings, as well as the Lord Himself again, who,
speaking to that rich youth, limited perfection in precisely this thing
(Matt. 19:21).

In short, good are
vision, good is also action. Vision because it elevates us from the
earthly things and leads to the holy of holies and brings back the mind
to its original natural condition, and action because it welcomes
Christ, serves Him and proves love with the works. Every virtue is also a
path which leads to salvation, to one of the eternal and blessed
places. Because, as there are many ways of life, thus there also exist
many places near God, which are separated and distributed analogous with
each one’s action. And let one exercise the one virtue, another the
other, another many together and another all of them, if of course this
is possible. So long as one proceeds and strives for the highest,
following step by step Him who leads him well and guides him and places
him, from within the narrow path and gate, to the vast heavenly
blessedness.

And if Paul, who also
follows Christ, considers love as the first and greatest commandment, as
the summary of the law and of the prophets, its better portion I
consider to be love for the poor and, in general, compassion and
kindness to fellow humans. Because, nothing else pleases God so much and
nothing else is as beloved to Him as compassion. She, together with the
truth, goes before Him and she must be offered to Him before the
Judgment. But also in nothing else is given as recompense by Him, who
judges with righteousness and weighs with precision the compassion, as
in philanthropy, philanthropy. So to all the poor and to those who for
whatsoever reason suffer hardship, we ought to show compassion,
according to the commandment: “Partake in the joy of whoever rejoices
and in the sadness of whoever is sad” (Rom. 12:15). And we ought to
offer to people, as we are also people, the expression of our kindness,
when they need it, beaten by some misfortune, for example widowhood or
orphanhood or being in a foreign land or harsh bosses or unjust rulers
or uncompassionate tax collectors, or murderous thieves or insatiable
thieves or the taking away of estates or shipwreck. All are worthy of
pity. Everyone sees our hands, as we see God’s hands.

So
what will we do, who have been honoured with the great name
“Christians” and we comprise the chosen and distinct people who ought to
be occupied with good and saving works? What will we disciples of the
meek and philanthropic Jesus do, who carried our sins, humbled, taking
on our human nature, and he became poor, for us to become rich with
divinity? What will we do having before us such a great model of
compassion and kindness? Will we overlook our fellow men? Will we scorn
them? Will we abandon them? Everything else, my brethren. These don’t
suit us, who are nurtured by Christ the good Shepherd, who brings back
the wandering sheep and searches to find the lost one and supports the
weak one. But they don’t suit neither our human nature, which imposes
kindness, since from its weakness itself it learned piety and
philanthropy. Why, with all these things, don’t we help our fellow men,
while it is still time? Why do we live in enjoyment, whereas our
brethren in misfortune? Let me never become rich, if they are deprived!
Let me not have health, if I don’t put balsam on their wounds! Let me
never become filled, let me never get dressed, let me never be calm in a
home, if I don’t give them bread and clothing, as much as I can, and
if I don’t give them rest in my home.

Let
us entrust all in Christ, to follow Him truly, carrying His cross, for
us to ascend to the heavenly world lightly and comfortably, without
anything pulling us downwards, and for us to gain in the place of all
these Christ, lifted up thanks to our humility and enriched thanks to
our poverty. Or, at least, let us share with Christ our belongings, for
them to be sanctified somewhat with their correct possession and the
offering of a portion of them to the poor.

Won’t
we recover, even if late? Won’t we defeat our senselessness, so that I
don’t say our stinginess? Won’t we think as humans? Won’t we put
mentally in the place of foreign misfortunes our possible misfortunes?
Because, truly, none of the human things are certain, nothing is firm,
nothing is independent of other factors, and nothing is based on
unchangeable presuppositions. Our life turns in a circle, a circle,
which brings many changes, often in one day, sometimes in one hour. It
is more certain for one to entrust the wind, which moves ceaselessly, it
is safer for one to entrust the line, which a seafaring ship leaves on
the waters, it is more certain for one to entrust the deceptive dreams
of one night, whose enjoyment lasts so little, it is more certain for
one to entrust whatever the children trace on the sand, when they play
than human happiness.

So they are
prudent, who, not having trust in the present things, strive to secure
themselves for the future. Because human prosperity is unstable and
changing, they love kindness, which is not lost, to gain at least the
one of the three: Either the compassion of God, who always benefactors
in heaven the pious people for their earthly good works. Or boldness
before God because they suffered hardship not for some evil, but for
some good purpose. Or, finally, God’s philanthropy, as they first showed
philanthropy to the poor, benefiting smartly.

Let
the wise person not boast of his wisdom, says the Lord, nor the mighty
person for his might. Nor he rich person for his wealth” (Jer.9:23),
even if they have reached the highest point of wisdom, might, or wealth.
I, though, will add those things also which follow: neither the notable
person for his glory nor the strong person for his health nor the
handsome person for his beauty nor the young person for his youth nor,
in short, no one else for whatsoever else of what is praised in this
world and causes pride. But, whoever boasts, only for this let him
boast, in that he knows and seeks God, he suffers together with those
who are suffering and entrusts his hopes for good things in the future.
Because the present goods are passing and temporal. They constantly move
and go from the one to the other, like the soccer ball. And there is
nothing more certain for the person who possesses them, than that he
will lose them in time or out of envy. On the contrary, the future goods
are firm and permanent. They are never lost, they never go from the one
to the other, they never betray the hopes of whoever trusts in them.

“Who is wise, to understand these things?” (Hos.14:10).
Who will be indifferent of ephemeral things and will pay attention to
the permanent things? Who will ponder that the present things will pass?
Who will consider that the awaited things will remain? Who will
distinguish the real from the seeming ones, to follow the former and
scorn the latter? Who will distinguish earthly residence from the
heavenly lifestyle, the sojourning dwelling from the habitation, the
darkness from the light, the mud of the depth from the holy lands, the
flesh from the spirit, God from the ruler of the world devil, the shadow
of death from eternal life? Who will expiate with the present things
the future things, with the corrupt wealth the incorrupt wealth, with
the visible the invisible things? So blessed is he who distinguishes
these things, separates with the sword of the Word the better from the
worse, is elevated with his heart, as the sacred David says somewhere
(Psalm 83:6), he leaves with all his strength far from this valley of
pain, pursues the goods which are in heaven, is crucified for the world
together with Christ, is resurrected together with Christ, ascends to
the heavenly habitations together with Christ and becomes an inheritor
of true life, which is never altered any more.

Let
us follow the Word, let us strive for the heavenly enjoyment, let us be
delivered from the earthly estate. Let us hold from the earthly things
only whatever is good, let us save our souls with charities, let us give
of our belongings to the poor, to become rich in eternal goods. Give
something to the soul also, not to the flesh only. Give something to God
also, not to the world only. Take something from the belly and give it
to the spirit. Take something from the fire, which burns up the earthly
things, and take it away from the flame. Grab something from the tyrant
and entrust it to the Lord. Give a little to Him, who has offered you
the much. Give all of them even to Him who has granted you everything.
You will never surpass the generosity of God, even if you give all your
belongings, even if you add to these even your own self. Because even
the offering of your own self to God is equal with obtaining. No matter
how many things you offer, those which remain are more. And you will not
give something your own, because you have taken everything from God.

Let
us not become, my beloved friends and brethren, evil stewards of the
goods which were given us. Let us not strive to treasure and store up
things, while others are suffering from hunger. Let us imitate the
highest and chief law of God, who sends rain to the just and the unjust
and dawns the sun also for everyone. He made the land spacious for all
the land animals, He created springs, rivers, forests, air for the birds
and waters for the animals which live in the sea, and He gave to all
the beings the necessary elements for their life, without limiting them
in any authority, without any written law defining them, without borders
preventing them. And these elements He gave them common and richly,
without distinguishing and being cut off, honoring the similarity of
nature with the equality of the gift and showing the wealth of His
goodness. People however once they took out from land gold, silver and
the precious stones, once they made soft clothes and superfluous and
once they obtained other similar things, which comprise causes of wars
and revolutions and tyrannical states, were overcome by irrational
haughtiness. Thus, they don’t show compassion to their unfortunate
fellow humans and don’t want even with their excess to give the
necessary things to the others. What vulgarity! What harshness! They
don’t think, if not anything else, that poverty and wealth, freedom and
slavery and the other similar things appeared in the human race after
the fall of the first created beings, like illnesses which appear
together with the evil and which are its own inventions. Initially
however, things did not happen thus, says the Scripture (Matt. 19:8),
but He who created man in the beginning, left him free, with free will
restrained only from the law of the command - and rich in the paradise
of delight. This freedom and this wealth God wanted to grant -and
granted- through the first man, and to the remaining human race. Freedom
and wealth were only the keeping of the commandment. True poverty and
slavery were its transgression. So after the transgression envies and
arguments and the sly tyranny of the devil appeared, which sways
everything with the gluttony of pleasure and stirs up the more daring
people against the weaker ones. After the transgression, the human race
was separated into various races with various names and avarice cut up
the nobility of nature, after it also took the law as its helper. You
however look at the original unity and equality, not the final division.
Not the law which prevailed, but the law of the Creator. Help, as much
as you can, nature, honor the former freedom, show respect to yourself,
cover the dishonour of your race, assist in illness, help in one’s need.

Let
the healthy person console the sick person, the rich person, the poor
person, the upright person the fallen person, the joyous person the sad
one, the happy one the unfortunate one. Give something to God as a
pleasant gift, for that you are one of those who can benefactor and not
one of those who has need to be benefactored, for that you are not
awaiting help from the hands of others, but of your own hands others are
awaiting help. Become rich not only in estate, but also in piety, not
only in gold, but also in virtue, or rather only in virtue. Become more
honourable than the neighbour by showing more kindness. Become a god
for the unfortunate person by imitating God’s compassion. Give
something, even slight, to him who has need. Because even the slightest
thing is not unimportant for the person who is deprived of everything,
but neither also for God, since it is analogous with your capabilities.
Instead of a great offering, give your eagerness. And if you don’t have
anything, shed tears. Kindness with one’s whole soul is a great medicine
for him who is in misfortune. True compassion comforts very much in
one’s misfortune. Man doesn’t have less value, than the animal, who, if
he is lost or falls in a pit, the law commands you to lift it up and to
gather it up (Deut. 22:1-4). How much compassion, consequently, ought
we to show to our fellow man, when furthermore even with the irrational
animals we ought to be kind? “The Scripture says “Whoever gives charity
to a poor person lends to God” (Prov. 19:17). Who won’t accept such a
debtor, who, aside from the loan, will also give interest, when the time
comes? And elsewhere again he says: “With the charities and with
honesty sins are cleansed” (Prov.15:27a).

So
let us cleanse ourselves with charity, let us wash with the good herb
the filth and our stains, let us become white, others like cotton and
others like snow, each one analogous with his compassion. “Blessed”, he
says, “whoever shows mercy to others, because God will show them His
mercy” (Matt. 5:7). Mercy is underlined in the beatitudes. And
elsewhere: “Blessed is he who has compassion on the poor 8 and the
deprived person” (Psalm 40:2). And: “A good person is he who has
compassion on others and lends to them” (Psalm 111:5). And: “The
righteous person always gives charity and lends” (Psalm 36:26). Let us
grab the beatitude, let us understand it, let us respond to its calling,
let us become good people. Neither let night interrupt your charity.
“Don’t say, “Leave now and come again tomorrow for me to give you help”
(Prov. 3:28), because from today to tomorrow something may happen, which
will put to naught the benefaction. Philanthropy is the only thing
which doesn’t take a delay. “Distribute your bread to those who are
hungry and put in your home the poor, who don’t have a roof” (Is. 58:7).
And do these things with eagerness “Whoever gives charity”, says the
apostle, “let us do it with pleasure and sweetness” (Rom. 12:8). With
eagerness, your good is considered as double. The charity which happens
with distress or by force is ungraceful and tasteless. We should
celebrate and not mourn, when we do kindnesses. Maybe you think that
philanthropy is not necessary, but voluntary? Maybe you think that it
does not comprise a law, but a counsel and urging? I would very much
like it if it were thus. And thus I thought of it. But whatever the
Scripture says about those who, on the day of Judgment, the Just Judge
will place on His left, as a habitation, and He condemns them, scares me
(Matt. 25:31-46). They are not condemned because they stole or robbed
or were lewd or did whatsoever else of whatever God forbids, but because
they didn’t show care for Christ through the unfortunate man.

So
while it is time let us visit Christ, let us take care of Him, let us
feed Him, let us dress Him, let us gather Him in, let us honor Him. Not
only with a meal, like some, not only with myrrh, like Maria, not only
with the tomb, like Joseph of Arimathea, not only with burial, like the
Christ-loving Nicodemus, not only with gold, incense and myrrh, like the
Magi earlier on. But because the Lord of all wants mercy and not
sacrifice and because compassion is better than the sacrifice of myriads
of well fed lambs, let us offer Him through those who have need,
through those who are today in a harsh position, so that they welcome us
in the heavenly kingdom, when we leave from this world and go near our
Lord, Christ, to whom is due glory unto the ages. Amen.

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Translated by Fr. Nicholas Palis from the Greek Book “Voice of the Fathers”The Sacred Paracletos Monastery, Oropos, Attica.

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